Ohio teen takes great-grandmother to her first prom

May 2, 2014
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by Lindsay Deutsch, USA TODAY

by Lindsay Deutsch, USA TODAY

Along with many others nationwide, Ohio resident Delores Dennison had the prom experience of her life this week, including the perfect dress, the perfect dance and the perfect date - her great-grandson, Austin.

Austin Dennison, a 19-year-old senior at Parkway High School in Rockford, Ohio, asked his 89-year-old "Granny DD" to be his date after learning she'd never gone to prom when she was a teen, the Times Bulletin reports.

Inspired by his government teacher, whose brother took their grandmother to his senior dance, Dennison called up his great-grandma and asked her to be his guest..

"He said, 'Grandma, I want you to go to the prom with me,'" Delores Dennison told the Times Bulletin. "I had a bad heart attack and stroke. 'I'm not that good on my feet,' I told him."

But she agreed to go, and the rest is (adorable) history.

Austin bought his great-grandmother a pearl necklace the day before the prom, and played his guitar and sang Iris for her.

The night of prom, they ate dinner at Bob Evans, which is one of her favorite restaurants. And when they arrived at the dance, they had classic prom pictures taken, then danced together.

The band played the Frank Sinatra song Delores, a song her husband used to sing to her ("I love the kisses of Delores") and "there was a standing ovation when we came out," said Austin, who plans to attend Florida Gulf Coast University in the fall.

The night ended well: "We got home shortly after 9 p.m., later than I go to bed these days," said Delores.